8e. The 3,000 year-old Obelisque de Luxor, anchor of this enormous square, stands in the middle of an horrendous traffic vortex. The heart of Paris affords a choice of magnificent vistas to those brave enough to venture to its centre. To the east, the Voie Triumphale, and Tuileries gardens lead into the embrace of the Louvre; to the west, the Champs-Elysees strikes up to the Arc de Triomphe. Across the Seine, the Assemblee Nationale houses the French parliament; and rue Royale carves a northerly path to La Madeleine.

During the Revolution more than 1,300 people became victims of the guillotine here including Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and the architect of the ‘Reign of Terror’ Robespierre himself. On a more peaceable note, eight allegorical statues representing major towns from Nantes to Marseille mark the corners of the octagonal site.

Wine and food: Paris is of course the restaurant capital of France and a showcase for the nation’s cuisine both traditional and new (nouvelle).